THE NEW AND IMPROVED SHOCKTOBER 2019 - NOW WITH MORE FRENCH LESBIAN VAMPIRES!

US (2019)

D: Jordan Peele
W: Jordan Peele
P: Jason Blum, Ian Cooper, Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele

Horror Subgenres: Psycho Thriller, Surrealism, Weird Science

I’m pickin’ up good vibrations
She’s giving me excitations

America is not prepared to deal with its underclass. Even one who escapes isn't prepared. I... think? There is so much going on in this movie.

A gloriously creepy, scary, enigmatic nightmare of identity, both personal and in the larger sense. An unsettling story about what we might be willing to unleash to cover the tracks of our youth. Peele has managed to craft a Twilight Zone-esque tale of mystery and morality that may not have the obvious allegory of Get Out but is no less provocative. Though I’m sure there’s allegory in here somewhere; it’s just based more on striking, thoughtful imagery and emotion and thus is wide open to any number of more literal interpretations, a dreamlike Rorschach. The cast is superb all around. But Lupita Nyong’o, who was already an amazing screen presence before this movie, is now an endlessly talented goddess whom I will follow to the ends of this earth.

On second thought, I'm serious about that whole underclass idea. It's not random that Gabe envies what Josh has.

I would say more, but 1) this movie has left me with more questions than answers, and in a good way, not a frustrating and unsatisfying way, and 2) I’m really beginning to regret my decision to binge-review a ton of horror movies this month. I will say that I, too, was a kid during Hands Across America, and confused young me was mostly ignorant of what it was at the time. I had vague, strange visions of how it would work and look that match Peele’s eerie depiction, though without the existential dread. Well maybe a little dread.

I am now going off to ponder the significance of rabbits while listening to Beach Boys and NWA.